Clay-working machine



May 24, 1932. H. H. MONTAGUE CLAY WORKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 #7219195 #7022 5 ye. zy/M wherein complementary die portions are vide a. clay-working machine wherein com-' Patented May 24, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARLEY I-I. MONTAGUE, OF DENVER, COLORADO CLAY-WORKING MACHINE" Application filed February 18, 1930. .Serial No. 429,325.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved clay-working machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machine adapted to be em 5 ployed for the formation of symmetrical articles of manufacture from plastic materials such as clay. I p

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described adapted to coact in the formation of articles of manufacture from plastic materials in an improved manner.

A further object of the invention is to proplementary die portions are adapted to coact in an improved manner for the formation of articles of manufacture from plastic ma terials.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved die portion adapted to be employed in the formation of symmetrical articles of manufacture from plastic materials. I

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved rotatable die portion adapted for cooperation with a complementary,

non-rotatable die portion in the formation of synnnetrical articles of manufacture from plastic materials.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for breathingarotatable die employed in the working of plastic materials, such as clays.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for trimming and smoothing an article of manufacture formed of plastic material between coacting rotatable and non-rotatable die elements.

A further object of the invention is to pro.- vide improved automatic'means operable to release an article of manufacture formed of plastic material between coacting die ele- 5 ments from said die elements and position said article for a trimming and finishing operation.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my disclose otherwise concealed elements. F igure 2 is a front elevation of the showing of Figure 1, a portion of the machine being broken away to conserve space. Figure 3 is a fragmentary, detail section axially of the coacting die elements of themachine and showing said elements in coacting relation. Figure 4 is a section similar to Figure 3 illustratingthe elements of said latter figure as positioned in the next succeeding step of their operation. Figure 5- is a detail section, on an enlarged scale, axially of one of the die elements employed in the improved machine. F lgure- 6 1s a cross section on the indicated line 6-6of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a cross section on the indicated line 7-7 of Figure 5.

In the construction of my improvement, a

I conventional clay-working machine is illustrated as comprising a suitable base 10 adapted to be mounted on and secured to a supporting surface, such as a floor, and a frame 11 rising in substantially perpendicular relation from said base 10. A headframe 12 is fixed to and projects laterally from the upper end of thevframe 11 to support a journal bearing 13 wherein a shaft 14 is mounted for rotation in spaced, axially parallel relation with the frame 11. The upper end of the shaft 14: projects above the headframe 12 and is suitably connected, as for example by means of a pulley15 and belt 16, with driving means (not shown) whereby said shaft may be rotated at the speed and in the manner desired. A male die 17, hereinafter more specifically tation of said shaft acts to rotate said ;die 17 about its axis as a center. Spaced,parallel slide bearings 18 are formed in or on the frame 11 beneath the headframe 12 and longitudinally of said frame 11, and a carrier comprising angularly related plates 19 and 20 is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation relative to the frame 11, side margins of the plate 19 engaging the slide bearings 18 to position and guide said plate therebetween, thus positioning the plate 20 perpendicular to and in intersecting relation with the projected axis of the shaft 14c and die 17. An aperture is formed in the plate 20 anda female the 21 adapted to coact with the die 17 and define the form of an article of manufacture therebetween is mounted through the aperture in the plate 20 and secured to said plate in concentric relation with the die 17, so that,'as-the plate 19 is moved upwardly along the slide bearings 18, the die 21 is moved into the desired GDllljllGlllQlIt-flly relation with the die 17. Any suitable means may be employed for opti-onal actuation of the carrier relative to the frame :11, .a convenient means for that purpose being illustrated as comprising a suitably arranged foot lever 22 adjacent the base 10 and a flexible connection 23 secured at one end to the plate 19 from whence it extends over a pulley 2st carried by the frame 11 to a point of fastening on the. lever 22, so that, when thefree end of the lever 22 is depressed, tension is applied to the connection 2.3 and the carrier is moved upwardly along the frame 11,;guided by the slide bearings 18,

- the weight of the carrier serving to return it to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 when ;thelever.22 is released. The lower portion of the die 21 is centrally apertured and a stem 25, formed with a plate 26 on its upper endadapted-to titsnugly within and form a movable bottom for the die 21, is positioned axially of said die 21 and extends through the aperture in the lower portion thereof to sliding engagement with and through spacedguides-27 carried by the frame 11.

. The stem is adapted to engage at its lower end with the base 10, or other suitable, fixedstop, to limit its motion in one direction, and is of a length sui'licient to position the-plate 26 above and clear of the top of the (he 21. when both the carrier supporting said die said. stem are in their lowermost positions, as is clearly shown in Figure 1. Withthe construction illustrated and described, the stem 25 and plate 26 remain in their lowermost positions during the early portion 'of the upward travel of the carrier and die 21 and until the plate 26 is seated in and confacts with the bottom of said die. after which said stein-,and plate are lifted and moved with arid-by-sai-dd'ie and carrier, both units returning by gravity when the pressure on the lever 22 is released. \Vhen it is desired to: form an aperture in the bottoms of articles ofmanufaictume formed-by the apparatus described; the die 17 may be formed with an axial boss: 28': on its lower end in position to register with a central hole 29 in the plate 2651a. bore .30 in the stem 25-commun1=catn1g with. said hole. 29 and ope-11 mg to one side of said stem for the escape of plugs punched from the articles of manufacture through the action of said boss 28.

The machine and apparatus thus far described is strictly conventional and in itself forms no part of the instant invention, being but typical of devices in common use whereto the features of my hereinafter described invention may be advantageously applied.

In the operation of the conventional ma chine, the dies 17 and 21 being shaped to the inside and outside contours, respectively, of

the articles to be manufactured and the elements of the machine being positioned as shown in Figure 1, a hand-formed ball of clay or similar plastic material, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, is dipped in suitable lubricant and placed on the plate 26. VVit-ht-he die 17 spinning at the desired speed, the lever 22 is operated to raise the carrier and die 21, the latter picking .up the plate 26 and stem 25 as previously described, thus confining'the ball of plastic material within the die 21 where it is subjected to the action of the die 17 and pressed and rolled between said dies to the form thereby defined, excess plastic material escaping through ports 31 in the die 21 and over the top. margin of said latter die. The conventional die 17 being circular. in all sections perpendicular to its axis and being undercut, as indicated at 32, to form .a smoothly rounded rim on the article of manufacture, it has been found in practice that excess material does noteasily escape from between the dies without dragging or tearing effects on the article being formed and consequent deformation of said article, that the material is not always smoothly rolled to a uniform section in the article being-formed and that an air lock is developed which tends to hold the formed article to the die 17 when the die 21 is dropped, all ofwh'ich has resulted in decreased cflicicncy in the operation. of conventional machines of this type and given rise to the use of complex, expensive dies 17 which are expensive and unsatisfactory in use.

To obviate the above noted disadvantages, I employ a simple, solid die 17 contoured to the desired form and provided with the conventional undercut 32, said die being circular in all sections perpendicular to its axis, save as hereinafter specified. At uniformly spaced intervals, similar, plane surfaces 83 are provided on and extending longitudinally of the periphery of the die 17 from end to end thereof, said plane surfaces appearing in cross sections of said die as chords of a circle perpendicular to their respectively bisecting radii, as is shown in Figure 7. The spaces thus provided by the surfaces 33 between the die 17 and the article being formed are continued through the undercut 32' of said die by means of deeper cuts 34 in saidundercut portion merging with said surfaces 33 on the one side and opening through the 11p of said undercut in the form of arouate notches 35, said deeper cuts 3 1 merging smoothly with the main portion of said die and presenting no sharp edges inposition to contact with the article being formed. Thus are provided continuous spaces longitudinally ofthe die 17 defined by the surfaces 33, cuts 34 and arcuate notches 35 in opposition to surfaces of the article being formed, through which spaces airunaycirculate to breathe the said die and permit the article being formed to drop away. freely from said die when the die 21 withdrawn, and in which spaces excess plastic material may be gathered during the operation of the die to be rolled smoothly into the article being formed, Where and as needed to provide a uniform cross section for said article, such plastic material as may not be needed work ing upwardly through said'spaces to ultimate escape through the arcuate notches Insomuch as .to bring the lip of the die 17 into actual contact with the upper end ofthe die 21 would result in. excessive friction and damage to both said dies, it is conventional practice to adjustthe travel of the die 21 so as to limit its.upward range just short ofv contact between its upper end and thelip of the die 17, which practice results in the formation of a rough, irregular, annular rib, indicated at 36 in Figure 3, adjacent the upper end andabout the circumference of the article of manufacture. In conventional practice it is customary to remove the annular rib 36 from the article of manufacture after said article has been removed from the forming mechanism, thus necessitating further undesirable handling with consequent expense and frequent damage to the product of the apparatus, and it is an important function of this invention to provide means whereby said rib 36 may be automatically trimmed from the article of manufacture prior to its removal from the forming mechanism. The means employed to accomplish the last, named function may vary in form and construction, a relatively simple, preferred construction being illustrated and hereinafter described. The base of the die 17 is finished as a smooth cylinder and a cup 37 having an internal diameter slightly greater than the diameter of said base and a depth greater than the height of said base formed with a central aperture adapt-ed to receive the stem ofsaid die and is mounted in inverted position on and in embracing relation with the base of said die and concentric therewith. Longitudinal slots 38 are formed in and at intervals about the circular portion of the cup 37 and screws or pins 39 are passed through said slots 38 and seated in the base of said die, thus securing the cup 37 to said die for rotation therewith and lim-' ited, rectilinear motion axially thereof. The

slots 38 and pins 39 are so positioned as to permit the open margin of the cup 37 to overlap on and extend below the lip of the die 17 when said cup is in its lowermost position relative to said die, the upward range of travel of said cup being such as to bring its open margin above and clear of said lip when said cup is raised to its uppermost limit. The cup 37 normally rests with its open 11131? gin in overlapping relation with the underout lip of the die, as shown in Figures 1, 2, t and 5, and the weight of said cup is normally suflicient to insure such positioning, but an expansive coil spring 10 may be mounted'about the stem of the die 17 in position to bear against the bottom of the cup 37 and yieldingly retain said cup in its lowermost position. As the die 21 is raised into its complementary relation with the die 17, it is necessary to lift the cup 37 on said latter die to prevent undesirable contact between the margin of said cup and the upper end of the die 21, and to'that end an annular flange 41 is formed on and extends radially from the cup 37 in position to be engaged by the upper ends of a plurality of adjustable posts 42 mounted on and rising from the plate of the die carrier, so that, as said carrier is moved upwardly the upper ends of the posts 12 contact with and bear against the under surface of the flange 41 and lift the cup 37 against the pres sure of the spring 10, the upper ends of said posts being provided with anti-friction devices, such as rollers 43, if desired, to minimize the friction between the spinning flange and the stationary posts.

In order that the cup 37 may function to trim the rib 36 from the article of manufacture formed between the'dies 17 and 21 with} out damage to said cup, dies or article, it is necessary that the said formed article be cleared from both said dies and momentarily positioned with its rib 36 in the path of the descendin cup 37, the die 21'being simultaneously withdrawn out of the path of said cup, all of which is automatically accom-r plished by means of the mechanism herel'ielow described. A shoulder or notch 44 is formed on the stem between the die 21 ant the uppermost of the guides 27 and a detent 45 is pivotally mounted on a fixed frame member 46 in position to bear against and normally slidingly contact with said stem 25 and engage at times beneath said shouldered, the relation between said detent do and shoulder 4% being such as to position said shoulder in spaced relation with and slightly above the engaging end of said detent when the die 21, carrying the stem.25, is at the uppermost limit of its range of travel, as is clearly shown in Figure 3. An integral arm 17 is formed on the pivoted end of the detent 45 and extends into the path of travel of the strike 48 fixed to and carried by the plate 19 of the die carrier, said strike being positioned to substantially clear said arm 47 when the die '21 is at the uppermost limit of its range of travel and to engage said arm and rock the detent 45 from its engaging position under the shoulder 44 as said die 21 and its carrier are permitted to descend. VVi-th the construction and arrangement of elements above described, release of the pressure on the lever 22 permits the die 21 carrying the formed article of manufacture, carrier 19-20, and stem 25 to move as a unit axially of and away from the die 17 sufiiciently to clear said article of manufactu-re from said die 17,,the cup 37 following athe die 21 with its flange 41 riding on the rollers 43 of the posts 42. After .a very short travel, the detent 45 engages the shoulder 44 of the stem 25 and arrests the motion of said stem, thereby positioning the article of manufacture supported by the plate 26 just clear of the die 17. The downward travel of the die 21 and its carrier is uninterrupted and said die 21 clears the article of manufacture so soon as the travel of the stem 25 is arrested, the cup 37 following said die 21 until said cu p reaches the lowermost limit of its range of travel, trimming the rib '36 from said article of manufacture by virtue of the stationary positioning of said article. As the die carrier continues its downward travel, the strike 48 engages the arm 47 and trips the detent 45 from its position under the shoulder 44 of the stem 25, permitting said stem and the article of manufacture carried thereby to dropaway from the die 17 and cup 37 until the lower end of said stem engages its stop, whereupon the said article of manufacture may be lifted from the plate 26 and the machine prepared for repititious operation,'the die 21 and supporting carrier meanwhile descending to the position shown in Figure 1. The trimming portion of the cup 37 may be provided with notches 49 having sharpened cutting edges 50, if desired, or

' otherwise arranged for eflicient functioning in any suitable manner.

It is to be noted that the trimming edge of the rotating cup 37 is held in spaced relation with the upper end of the die 21 at all times to prevent damage to said cup or die,

and that, when the cup 37 is functioning to trim the rib 36 from the article of manufacture, said article is clear of both the dies 17 and 21. In practice, the arresting of the stem '25 is actually but a hesitation or pause, a very small period of time being sufficient to accomplish the trimming operation.

In the practicaloperation of the improved apparatus, the elements being in the position shown in Figure 1, a quantity of plastic material is placed on the plate 26 and the shaft 14 is caused to rotate at the desired speed, whereupon the lever 22 is depressed, elevating the carrier and die 21 to bring the latter "1 into complementary relations with the spinning die 17, said carrier picking up the plate 26 and stem 25 in its upward travel and forcing the plastic material against said spinning die whereby said material is smoothly rolled into the space between the die portions to form the article desired, excess material escaping through the ports 31 and arcuate notches 35, the posts 42 simultaneously lifting and holding the cup 37 out of engagement with the article being formed. So soon as the forming operation is completed, the pressure on the lever 22 is released, permitting the movable portion of the apparatus to descend and clear the formed article from the die 17 at which point the stem 25 is arrested while the carrier and die 21, followed by the cup 37, continue to descend, said cup trimming the rib 36 from the formed article during the interval of its arrested motion and prior to release of the detent 45 by the strike 48, this latter action releasing the stem 25 to restore the elements of the apparatus to their original positions.

As is readily apparent, the positions of the male and female dies may be reversed and either of said dies arranged for rotation relative to the other irrespective of its fixed or relatively movable positioning, and that many changes and modifications in the specific form and relation of the elements of the apparatus may be had without departing from the spirit of the invention, hence I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims rather than by the conventionalized illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention-- 1. Pottery-forming means comprising complementary, axially-separable, rotatable and non-rotatable die portions, means for rotating said rotatable die portion, means operable to control the relative positioning of said die portions, pottery-trimming means on, rotatable with and axially movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to said rotatable die portion, yielding means whereby said trimming means is normally maintained in operative position and means operable by said non-rotatable die portion and adapted to engage said trimming means to move said latter means into inoperative position when said die portions are in complementary, pottery-forming relation.

2. Pottery-forming means comprising complementary, axially-separable male and female die portions, means for rotating said male die portion, means operable to control the relative positioning of said die portions pottery-trimming means on, rotatable with and axially movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to said male die portion, yielding means for normally holding said trimming means in operative position and means operable by said female Oil die portion and adapted to engage said trimming means to move the latter into inoperative position on said male die when said die portions are in complementary, potteryforming relation.

3. Pottery-forming means comprising a rotatable male die and-a non-rotatable female die adapted to coact to form an article of manufacture therebetween, means and connections whereby one of said dies may be moved into and out of coacting relation with the other die, means for rotating said male die, pottery-trimming means 011, rotatable with and axially movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to said male die, yielding means for normally holding said trimming means in operative position and means operable by said female die and adapted to engage said trimming means to move the latter into inoperative position on said male die when said dies are in coacting, pottery-forming relation.

4. Pottery-forming means comprising a rotatable male die and a non-rotatable female die adapted to coact to form an article of manufacture therebetween, means and connections whereby one of said dies may be moved into and out of coacting relation with the other die, means for rotating said male die, pottery-trimming means on, rotatable with and axially movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to said male die, yielding means for normally holding said trimming means in operative position and means operable through the relative travel of said dies to engage said trimming means and move the latter into inoperative position when said dies are in coacting, pottery-forming relation. 7

5. Pottery-forming means comprising complementary, axially-separable die portions adapted to coact to form an article of manufacture therebetween, means and connections whereby one of said die portions may be moved into and out of coacting relation with the other die portion, potterytrimming means on and axially movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to one of said die portions, yielding means for normally holding said trimming means in operative position and means operable through the relative travel of said die portions'to engage said trimming means and movethe latter into inoperative position when said die portions are in coacting, pottery-forming relation.

6. Pottery-forming means comprising a 1'0- tatable male die and a non-rotatable female die adapted to coact to form an article of manufacture therebetween, means and connections whereby one of said dies may be moved axially into and out of coacting relation with the other die, means for rotating said male die, a pedestal axially of and axially-movable relative to said dies, said pedestal forming an end closure for said female die when said dies are in coacting position and being adapted to support the formed article of manufacture when said dies are separated, pottery-trimming means on and axially-movable between operative and inoperative positions relative to said maledie, yielding means for normally holding said trimmingmeans in operative position, means operable through the relative travel of said dies to engage said trimming means and move the latter into inoperatiy'e position when said dies are in coacting relation, automatic means adapted to engage said pedestal and retain the article of manufacture supported thereby in closely spaced relation with said male die as said dies 1 are separated, whereby said article is positloned for a trimming operation as said trimmlng means returns to normal position during the separation of said dies, and further automatic means operable through the rela- -means operable through the relative travel of said die portions to engage said trimming means and move the latter into inoperative position when said die portions are in coacting relation and automatic means operable through the relative travel of said die portions to position said article of manufacture in closely spaced relation with the die portion carrying said trimming means and subject to a trimming operation as said trimming means returns'to normal position during 'the'first phase of separation of said die portions, said automatic means being further operable to clear said article from said die portions during a later phase of the ratory travel thereof. 7 r

8. Ina machine of the character described having, act at times for the formation of articles of manufacture from plastic material therebetween, said dies being arranged for relative axial movement, a rotatable die adapted to smoothly mould said plastic material to the contour defined said dies, said rotatable die comprising a stem adapted to be secured to a rotatable shaft, an integral body portion symmetrically contoured to the internal form of the desired article of manufacture on and concentric with said stem, said body portion being substantially circular in all sections perpendicular to its axis, and plane surfaces longitudinally of and extending from end to end of the moulding periphery sepacomplementary dies adapted to 00-1 'table die and the article of manufacture, said J of said body portion, said plane surfaces marginally merging with the arcuate portions of said periphery therebetween.

9. In a machine of the character described having a rotatable die adapted to coact at times with a stationary die for the formation of articles of manufacture from plastic material therebetween, said dies being ar ranged for relative axial movement, means for preventing air-lock between said rotameans comprising an integral, symmetrical- "ly-contoured body portion on said rotatable die substantially circular in all sections perpendicular to its axis and spaced, plane surfaces longitudinally of and extending from end to end of the moulding periphery of said body portion. and continued as arcuate depressions through the margin-forming porti on of said die.

10.111 a machine of the character described having a rotatable die adapted to coact at times with a stationary die for the formation of articles of manufacture from "plastic material therebetween, said dies being arranged for relative axial movement and said rotatable die being formed with an annular, concentric undercut at one limit of its moulding surface, means for enhanclng the moulding efficiency of said rotatable dle 'and'preventing air-lock between said die and the article of manufacture formed thereby, sald means comprislng a symmetrically-contoured body portion on said rotatable die substantially circular in' all sections perpendicular to its axis and spaced, plane surfaces longitudinally of and extending from end to end of the moulding periphery of said body portion, said plane surfaces being continued to the outer limit of the undercut portion of said die by means of deeper outs in said undercut portion merging at one side with said plane surfaces and opening at the other side through the lip of said undercut in the form of arcuate notches.

Signed at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, this 21st day of November, 1929.

HARLEY H. MONTAGUE. 

